HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -The Huntsville Police Department along with city and county
agencies helped give citizens the tools to reduce crime in their own neighborhoods
during National Night Out at the Jaycees Building Tuesday evening.

National Night Out, a year-long community building campaign organized by the National Association of Town Watch, is designed to highlight crime prevention awareness, boost support for local crime prevention efforts, strengthen neighborhood camaraderie and renew police/community partnerships.

Residents in neighborhoods across Huntsville and around the country were asked to turn on their porch lights, lock their doors and spend time with law enforcement officers, paramedics, firefighters, crisis services operators, animal services officials and more.

Huntsville Police Chief Lewis Morris said he's glad to build better working relationships with area residents and let community members know that officers are personable, approachable and are "here for you."

"If everybody walks out of here with a little more knowledge about the city or any of the resources that are available to them it's a good thing," Morris said.

Morris said seeing such an energetic, diverse crowd concerned with making the Rocket City an even safer place to live is a positive step forward in stomping out crime.

"In a community this big, you figure everybody that's here right now is willing to stand up against crime in their neighborhood," he said. "That's a start."

Citizens of all ages came to learn how they could fight crime in their communities during Huntsville's National Night Out event at the Jaycees Building Aug. 6, 2013. (Amethyst Holmes/aholmes@al.com)

Janice Smith, president of Huntsville's Community Watch Association, said the event not only encourages sustainable communication between citizens and Huntsville police officers, but also gives neighbors an opportunity to link up after previously connecting through social media.

"We're bringing neighbors together in individual neighborhoods. They're also learning about their community resource officers for their precinct," Smith said.

With 176 watch groups already established throughout the city, Smith says community watch group participation is on the rise.

"A lot of our watch groups have been instrumental working with the police department and a lot of cases have been solved," Smith said.

Etta Davis brought her two daughters to the event and said the program provides great teaching moments for parents to show their children who's who in their community.

"It's good for us to show them because we want them to grow up and be respectful citizens," Davis said.

Davis says she's not an official member of her neighborhood's watch group, but she's always aware of her surroundings and makes sure to give notice.

"If something happens on my street, I'm the first one to call 911," she said. "I try to watch. It's so important."